The Federal Government of Nigeria has secured a N2.8 billion grant from Google, marking a significant boost in developing artificial intelligence (AI) talent across the country.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced this collaboration at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, describing the partnership as pivotal for building Nigeria’s AI and digital economy infrastructure.
The minister noted that the grant aligns with Google’s $5.8 million commitment to digital skill-building initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to address economic hardship and bridge unemployment gaps.
“This support from Google is a testament to our commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leader in AI innovation,” Tijani said. “By leveraging Google’s expertise and resources, we are creating opportunities to equip Nigerians with the skills they need to thrive in the global digital economy.”
Tijani added that the initiative will focus on sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance, equipping startups to solve local challenges and drive sustainable growth.
He emphasised the importance of fostering a robust AI ecosystem, remarking, “I am a strong believer that the development we desire in Nigeria will not just come from the government. Government can set the agenda, but it is the ecosystem that a programme like this will truly ensure we build the economy that we want to see.”
Google’s N2.8 billion grant will support Nigeria’s “Three Million Technical Talents” (3MTT) programme, recently launched as a four-year initiative to train Nigerian tech talent and establish Nigeria as a global talent exporter.
Matt Brittin, Google EMEA President, detailed that the grant will prioritise AI skills training for 20,000 Nigerians. Brittin announced, “I am pleased to announce that Google.org is providing N2.8 billion (or approximately $1.7 million) in funding to the Data Scientists Network Foundation, supporting the honourable minister’s vision for AI growth in Nigeria. This funding will be directed toward critical initiatives that advance AI skills and opportunities across the country.”
As part of the programme, Google’s Experience AI initiative will provide educational resources to train 125,000 young Nigerians in AI fundamentals, delivered by 25,000 educators in partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Additionally, a collaborative AI Fund will equip ten Nigerian startups with N100 million in funding, $3.5 million in Google Cloud Credits, and mentorship from Google engineers. Selected startups for this funding include BetaLife Health, Bunce, CDIAL AI, Farmspeak, Lendsqr, ProDevs, Rana Energy, SaaSPro Health, Towntalk, and Trade Lenda, aiming to innovate solutions across various sectors of Nigerian society.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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